THOSE of you that are regular Dorset Echo readers may have noticed that this is the second time I have been in the paper this week.

On Thursday, the Echo ran an article about a young spaniel who I had had to operate on to remove an unusual, and very topical, intestinal foreign body.

Read more: 'He would have died' - Emergency operation remove Covid mask from cocker spaniel 

Jasper the young spaniel had presented with severe vomiting and we could both feel and see on x-ray a major blockage in his intestine. We operated and removed a cigar shaped piece of solid material from his small intestine. Once Jasper was safely sewn back up and in recovery, we unravelled the blockage to discover that it was a material face mask.

If you have access to the internet, it is worth going on to the Dorset Echo website to have a look at the two photos that accompany the story (not the photo of me! But the photos of the mask as we took it out of the intestine and then after we had unravelled it). I am pleased to say that Jasper made a full recovery, but this was a potentially life-threatening condition.

I have read about other cases of vets having to remove face masks and PPE from dogs’ stomachs and intestines, so I do urge everyone to be conscious of disposal of PPE and, if you have a dog who is prone to picking up the family’s clothes do remember to store re-usable masks away from inquisitive hounds.

Over the years I have regaled you, my readers, with plenty of stories of strange things I have taken out of dogs’ intestines – but this must be one of the most interesting yet.

Alice Moore is a vet at Castle Veterinary Clinic, Dorchester and Weymouth. Tel 01305 267083